Arsenal Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

MuPpItJoCkEy

Can Arsenal rely on Almunia this season in goals with no experienced backup.

A rocky defence which has been needing surgery for the last couple of seasons with a moody Gallas to catpain again. Kolo didn't look his best last season either. Will Sanga repeat the performances he put in on his debut season? If 2 of the regular defence get injured, who's there as backup?

Helb & Gilberto seemly gone and Flamini gone. I doubt what is being written in papers that Arsenal are interested in Alonso & Barry. Both too old and expensive for Wenger.

Maybe Ade going too, is Wegner hoping that perhaps Walcot is going to be the next rising star because so far, VP has been injured quiet a bit.

Seems like Arsenal need a fair bit of patch work done to the whole squad. Money in from Helb & Ade (if the Ade move goes ahead) will be what Wenger has to play around with but would you be expecting some big names for the cash being brought in on direct replacements or would Wegner disperse the funds and try fill in all the gaps around the squad?

Pepe LeFrits

It’s looking like Adebayor might find that nobody is willing to buy him and be stuck at Arsenal, although things can change fast.

I’d like to see a good all-rounder come in who is creative but capable of doing the defensive duties, so that he can partner Fabregas, or do the Fabregas role with one of the young DMs we already have. Somebody like Aquilani or Barry would be good. I like Alonso a lot but I’m not sure he’s mobile enough to form a good midfield pairing with Cesc.

Pepe LeFrits

Squad for Barnet on Saturday:

Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
Nacer BARAZITE
Nicklas BENDTNER
Gael CLICHY
DENILSON
James DUNNE
Rui FONTE
Gavin HOYTE
Justin HOYTE
Henri LANSBURY
Vito MANNONE (GK)
Havard NORDTVEIT
Abu OGOGO
Aaron RAMSEY
Mark RANDALL
Paul RODGERS
Bacary SAGNA
Jay SIMPSON
Rene STEER
Wojciech SZCZESNY (GK)
Armand TRAORE
Carlos VELA
Theo WALCOTT
Jack WILSHERE

gosplan

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Squad for Barnet on Saturday:

Manuel ALMUNIA (GK)
Nacer BARAZITE
Nicklas BENDTNER
Gael CLICHY
DENILSON
James DUNNE
Rui FONTE
Gavin HOYTE
Justin HOYTE
Henri LANSBURY
Vito MANNONE (GK)
Havard NORDTVEIT
Abu OGOGO
Aaron RAMSEY
Mark RANDALL
Paul RODGERS
Bacary SAGNA
Jay SIMPSON
Rene STEER
Wojciech SZCZESNY (GK)
Armand TRAORE
Carlos VELA
Theo WALCOTT
Jack WILSHERE

Wow, not sure what starting line up I'd like to see.

Something like:

Sagna, Nordtviet, Hoyte, Clichy
Denilson, Ramsay, Walcott, Randall
Vela, Bendtner

Galvasean

Expect tha Carling Cup team to look something like that.

I'd go for a team like:

---

Vito MANNONE (GK)

Paul RODGERS----Havard NORDTVEIT----James DUNNE

---

Armand TRAORE

Jack WILSHERE----Aaron RAMSEY---Nacer BARAZITE----Rui FONTE

---

Theo WALCOTT

---

Carlos VELA


Of course this is mostly based off of my Football Manager experience.


I hear Barca arent allowing Guardiola to make a move for Adebayor until he offloads Eto'o which is proving much harder than once expected.

Tusky

Arsenal linked with Alonso & Barry. What are your thoughts on this ? Neither are really Wenger players. I think Alonso would do really well in the free flowing Arsenal team. Hes a fantastic passer and Arsenals movement would be perfect for him. I'd be gutted to see him go.

IrishMike

Would leave a serious hole in the Arsenal midfield though.
When Gerrard and Alonso played CM for Liverpool they were often left badly exposed
as Alonso isnt a natural DM he is more a CM.

MuPpItJoCkEy

As IrishMike said, Alonso is more of a CM than a DM. I also think that's the problem at Liverpool. He was dragged back to far by Rafa for him to be himself.

AnCapaillMor

I'm hoping they're using the barry bid to open liverpool into selling alonso. Always wished we'd signed alonso that time we hrought Vieira was of to Real.

leninbenjamin

i'd rather Barry than Alonso. he complements Cesc's abilities better imo. Alonso and Cesc could have difficulty working with each other imo seeing as they do essentially the same role for their teams.

Pepe LeFrits

Fabregas is more of a CM then Gerrard, although I take the point.

What Wenger is looking for in my opinion is a partnership of 2 all-rounders, two box-to-box midfielders like Vieira & Petit, Keane & Scholes, Fabregas & Flamini etc, which is a lot more dynamic than having a dedicated holding midfielder, a dedicated attacking midfielder etc. Fabregas being a bit more naturally focussed on attacking than defending needs a player who is the opposite like Flamini was. I’m not sure that’s Alonso really.

yahoo_moe

Galvasean wrote: »

As for Hleb, how many times this season alone has he been in a goalscoring opportunity position, only to hesitate, stall and pass it to someone in a worse position, wasting the chance?

Absolutely - and I won't miss that. But I will miss the positives he brought to the team, which we can't just forget about.

leninbenjamin wrote:

i'd rather Barry than Alonso

Me too - but I'd still like another Hleb-type player too.

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

What Wenger is looking for in my opinion is a partnership of 2 all-rounders

Agreed. It's always been Wenger's way really - he just doesn't seem to do Makelele-type 'break up the play and pass it 10 yards' players. Even Gilberto and Petit were likely to crop up 2/3 of the way up the pitch often enough.

PHB

Alonso is a passer. Finds space. Passes. Scores the odd goal. Breaks up defence with clever positioning rather than tackling. Pirlo and Carrick are in the same mould.
IMO they work well in 3 men midfield.

Fabregas is imo a newer version of Scholes, although perhaps a bit more about passing than finishing, but only slightly.
If you want him to play in a 2 man midfield you need a midfielder ala Keane, or Hargreaves, or Flamini.

I don't think you want a Mascherano style figure either, he's really more of a 3 man midfield, with a passer than a fast dribbling attacker [ala AC Milan].

I think Yaya Toure would be a great shout for that sort of person. I think Barry would be better at it than Alonso, but to be honest, I still think Arsenal should be aiming higher.

That said, maybe Wenger wants to be able to take some workload off Fabregas at times.

Carrick (a passer) and Scholes worked pretty well for a league challenge (although not great in the CL)
Alonso and Fabregas could do the same.

Frisbee

We really should have tried to wrangle Yaya away from Barca as part of the Hleb deal.
Missed opportunity imo..

Galvasean

I agree that Yaya would compliment Fabregas quite well in our midfield.

Pepe LeFrits

I don't. He's too Diabyesque.

leninbenjamin

Hleb is a done deal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/7509273.stm

finally is all i'll say. £11.8 million apparently. meh...

Pepe LeFrits

There is another £3.2m tied up in various difference performance related clauses I think.

At least he's gone and we can talk about something else now!

jank

Like who to bring in...nobody it seems.

Galvasean

That was good money for Hleb IMO. Add another 2million for Gilberto and once again we are pretty much in the green after transfers..
Does Wenger even get a transfer kitty anymore or do the board just expect him to raise his own transfer funds?

OPENROAD

Galvasean wrote: »

That was good money for Hleb IMO. Add another 2million for Gilberto and once again we are pretty much in the green after transfers..
Does Wenger even get a transfer kitty anymore or do the board just expect him to raise his own transfer funds?

Gilberto is going on a free,as far as I know the club are allowing him go on a free because he has served the club for six years and his wages were quite high.

OPENROAD

Can't see us going for Barry, certainly at that price

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/arsenal-could-go-for-barry-as-gilberto-and-hleb-depart-869564.html

OPENROAD

Interesting interview with Peter Hill-Wood

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=493916&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Two+Years+On:+Hill-Wood+-+Why+the+Club+is+in+good+shape

Frisbee

OPENROAD wrote: »

Gilberto is going on a free,as far as I know the club are allowing him go on a free because he has served the club for six years and his wages were quite high.

Thought I hear he was going for c. 2-3 million....
Although cant complain, he's been a great man for the club

Pepe LeFrits

Still plenty of time for players to come in. Prices drop towards the end of the window which can be an important factor.

jank

The Ice Man at No.2
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=492961&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Gunners%27+Greatest+Players+-+2.+Dennis+Bergkamp

Looks like Henry is number one. Not surprised really but there was something more likable about Bergkamp. Never said a bad word about anyone.

Evil_Clown

jank wrote: »

The Ice Man at No.2
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=492961&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Gunners%27+Greatest+Players+-+2.+Dennis+Bergkamp

A great article brings back floods of great memories. the single best thing Rioch did for the club was to sign that man !!
An absolute legend and will probably always be my favourite Arsenal player ever

Indie18

Evil_Clown wrote: »

A great article brings back floods of great memories. the single best thing Rioch did for the club was to sign that man !!
An absolute legend and will probably always be my favourite Arsenal player ever

i will comfortably second that. the man was a class act all the way there will never be another player like him. and never mind single best thing rioch ever did for us it was the ONLY! good thing he did for us.

yahoo_moe

Indie18 wrote: »

never mind single best thing rioch ever did for us it was the ONLY! good thing he did for us.

No, 2 good things - he also got himself sacked, which gave us Wenger

As for Bergkamp, I'd agree - absolute legend. Having said that, I can easily see why Henry got #1. Different players, different effects, different legacies.

AnCapaillMor

Rioch did'nt even do it, Dein told him guess who we got and rioch saying Yay!! was his involvement in us signing Bergkamp. rioch cost us Seedorf, altho he was involved in us getting Wenger.

Galvasean

Bruce Rioch, the man who played Ian Wright on the left wing...

Mr Alan

Bergkamp was always one of my favourite players ever, even pushing my favourite Liverpool players close. loved him. just class class class.

AnCapaillMor

Story with Rioch was Dein had Seedorf wrapped up all it was waiting on was Rioch, don't know what exactly happened but Rioch farted around the deal fell through and that was the final straw for the board.

gosplan

Merida playing for spain u-19 on Eurosport right now

leninbenjamin

gosplan wrote: »

Merida playing for spain u-19 on Eurosport right now

what's he look like? a long way off the first team i presume?

Evil_Clown

Quick note on Gilberto
Sad to see him go he was a great player and an Arsenal stalwart in his time with us. Best of luck Bert

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=494019&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Gilberto+leaves+Arsenal+-+a+personal+tribute

PDN

Evil_Clown wrote: »

Quick note on Gilberto
Sad to see him go he was a great player and an Arsenal stalwart in his time with us. Best of luck Bert

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=494019&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Gilberto+leaves+Arsenal+-+a+personal+tribute

+1

Sad to see him go, but the timing is probably right. Wenger normally knows when to let someone go.

Indie18

and then there was one......only one left now from the invincables. toure.

PDN

Indie18 wrote: »

and then there was one......only one left now from the invincables. toure.

I didn't realise that. Toure the only one left just over 4 years later - amazing!

Pepe LeFrits

Although he wasn't a first teamer, Clichy made enough appearances that season to be an 'Invincible' league medal winner too.

yahoo_moe

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Although he wasn't a first teamer, Clichy made enough appearances that season to be an 'Invincible' league medal winner too.

Yup, youngest winner of a Premiership medal...

Pepe LeFrits

Man, I can't wait for tomorrow's game. It's been too long!

Particularly looking forward to seeing Ramsey in action.

Indie18

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Man, I can't wait for tomorrow's game. It's been too long!

Particularly looking forward to seeing Ramsey in action.

is the game on somewhere

Pepe LeFrits

ATVO

Mossy Monk

Also on the Arsenal TV channel.

Galvasean

Vela for the hat trick!

Is there any chance of a bar in Dublin showing the match? I don't have Setanta

Pepe LeFrits

Papa Smut wrote: »

Is there any chance of a bar in Dublin showing the match? I don't have Setanta

Yep, looks like it: www.woolshedbaa.com/wevents.html

Edit: anyone want to go to that? I'd rather see it on a big screen with a pint than watch it on my PC in my bedroom tbh.

OPENROAD

Have to say really miss Thierry..

http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=508249

Irish Gunner

Papa Smut wrote: »

Is there any chance of a bar in Dublin showing the match? I don't have Setanta

Think some of the members of the supporters club are going into Kates to watch it on Amiens street